


Robert's Birthday

by TheonSugden



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Chrissie and Robert are married in this story, M/M, alcohol mention, brief mention of self-harm scars, brief thought of violence, prompts, tumbler prompts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-30
Updated: 2015-01-29
Packaged: 2018-03-09 16:08:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,451
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3256130
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheonSugden/pseuds/TheonSugden
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>From a tumblr prompt - Aaron at Robert's birthday party. (and then after the party) They're estranged but intertwined.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Birthday Surprise

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt - "Hey! I saw that you write one-shots for anon and other Tumblr followers. I was wondering can you write a one shot fanfic about Robron when it's Robert's birthday or a proposal from Robert to Aaron. If it's not too much trouble :)"

Aaron had just the luck of walking into the Woolpack bang in the middle of Robert’s birthday bash.

Not much of a bash, really - Edna making Lawrence squirm with pious glances, Andy staring at a grumpy Katie, Victoria calling him an old man, Val drunkenly belting along to “Take My Breath Away” as a tipsy Diane slurred “Papa Don’t Preach” in the corner - but to Aaron it might as well have been New Year’s in Times Square.

Chrissie had her hand on Robert’s knee and Chrissie whispered in his ear, whispered all the posh naughty words she probably knew, and he gave her his biggest happy husband smile in return.

He knew Robert inside and out. He knew that smile was fake, the best toothpaste advert and nothing more.

Robert only smiled for him. Robert was only Robert, the true Robert, for him. No matter how many times Aaron, in the dead of night, had told himself that had just been a silly schoolboy delusion, one look at the painted glass before his eyes right now told him the truth.

Aaron had tried his best to walk out as soon as he walked in, like some old comedy sketch, but Adam had gripped his shoulder tight, hiss-shouting in his ear.

"C’mon mate! Free pints! ‘sides, he gave us all that cash, remember? Don’t wanna piss off moneybags." 

Aaron had wanted to hiss back,  _"Don’t you get it, you stupid twonk? I was his bit on the side until there was barely any bit of me left. Did you know I sucked him off in his wedding suit the night before he got hitched? Do you know how fuckin’ degrading it was? Do you know how hard I came, how hard I still come, when I think about how good it felt to be on my knees, cheeks brushed against fabric worth more than I’ll ever be? Or when I remember the things he told me to do with my tongue? Do you know if he told me to blow him right now, in front of every last fucking person in this village, I’d do it with a grin on me face? Do you know what it does to me every time I walk into a room and he won’t even look me in the eye?"_

Instead, he shrugged, telling himself that scoring free booze off the man was the least he could ask for. 

Of course it wasn’t that easy. Aaron wanted to crawl under the table as he watched Robert schmooze it up with his family and money-bought-mates and his beautiful bride who practically cut his fucking meat for him. Aaron knew he’d been the one to call off the affair, telling himself keeping it going hurt too much, but this…this hurt even more. 

He continued staring at the contents of his second pint until Adam nudged him in the ribs. Aaron looked up, seeing that the rest of the pub was in the midst of raising their glasses. He saw why as he saw Andy fumbling for words, an arm awkwardly thrown around Robert’s shoulder.

"This is to m’brother, Robert. The man who has it all. I know Dad would be proud."

Robert flashed his most sincere smile, practically put his hand to his heart, but it wasn’t all show. Aaron knew for sure when Robert glanced his way for the first time in months. It made Aaron feel things he didn’t want to feel, things he’d never stopped feeling. It made him believe that Robert’s life wasn’t complete without him, regardless of the money and the fit wife and the cars. It made him want to…

He squeezed his eyes shut, hard. 

_No, Aaron. No, Aaron. No, Aaron…_

"What’s with you today, mate? Come check out the wheels Ma White got him! It’s like somethin’ out of a movie!"

Sometimes Adam was still a 10-year old at heart, and that made Aaron happier than it probably should at this point. 

Not being able to tell Adam he just wanted to go hide in the loo until it was all over, he followed his best friend outside, whistling under his breath at the sight before him.

And that’s where it all started.

Or started again, really.


	2. Birthday Reconciliation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aaron and Robert back at the garage where it all started.

The Audi was cherry red ( _Lost his cherry a long time ago!!!_ a bladdered Nicola shouted as the crowd laughed and Jimmy’s face suddenly matched the shade of the car) in and out, briefly reminding Aaron of blood. Fitting - Robert had a talent to cut and cut deep. 

The backseat was roomier than normal ( _They got it so we can snog! Right, Robert? Right, Robert?_ Victoria shouted with an embarrassed Adam laughing into her neck, arms around her waist.  _Maybe if he gets a shave first. We don’t want shedding in the car,_ Chrissie replied, with everyone laughing dutifully like she was some fucking visiting duchess or princess) and Aaron’s mind immediately went to pulling Robert inside, tearing off that gorgeous black leather jacket, lifting the white top that clung to his pecs, sinking his teeth into always-erect nipples…

_"What do you think, Aaron?"_

Everyone was looking at him now, like in school when he’d stood apart from the rest of his class, hugging himself and wanting to climb out the window. 

This was even worse, because he’d never given a shit about any of his teachers. 

But this was Robert. Robert’s voice, warm and teasing and expectant. The smug I-already-know-the-answer taunt that Aaron used to answer by smashing their mouths together, rough and ready.

As Aaron swallowed his tongue, he relaxed slightly as he saw Robert’s two faces. 

The first face being broad and boasting - the lord of the manor demanding that the peasant speak.

The second face being only for Aaron - pleading, desperate, lost. The man who was so tin-eared in so many ways had, once again, somehow picked up on Aaron softening to him, and saw his chance to pounce.  _One more try_ , his eyes, sorrowful under the glaze of contentment, seemed to be saying.

Aaron took the dare, slowly walking over to the Audi, knowing the few people in the group who were anywhere close to sober must be wondering why he was treating this like an execution.

He put his hand on the hood, still slightly warm from the drive over. It seemed to sing to him.

"All flash and tight trousers…" Aaron replied, bitterly (his first face) with a hint of affection underneath (his second face). 

"Oh, you mean the car?" he finished once the snickers subsided. "It’s a fuckin’ masterpiece. Got great taste, mate."

He let his eyes dart to Robert’s crotch, zip begging to be lowered by his teeth, to the hint of a belly under his snug tee, begging for a sandpaper tongue tracing the treasure trail. 

 _Just for me_ , he thought as he lowered the boom.  _Just for me_.

"Course I already knew that."

Robert flinched as Aaron gave him a private wink, his back turned to everyone else, including Chrissie, who was now just one of the chuckling horde. 

Not for long, as Chrissie rushed forward, giving her husband a soppy hug and kiss.

"That’s so sweet! And Dad says young people today don’t have any manners!"

"Do you think it’s safe to drive on the outside roads?" Robert asked. "Wanna give it a once-over?" Pleaded, really.

Aaron wanted to gather what was left of his self-respect and shrug a yes, or just give it to Dan, see how far that autopilot flirting would get him.

"You’re a greasemonkey just like me," Aaron pushed back. "Bet Chrissie’d like seeing you bent over that bonnet."

Robert glared now, a petulant child through and through, eyes cold and dead. And Aaron…Aaron loved it. Every second of it. 

Chrissie laughed affectionately, barely sensing Robert as still as a statue in her grip, probably telling herself she’d have to warn her snotty husband not to hold it against the mouthy commoner.

"Oh, Aaron. You have a talent for visuals, but Robert hasn’t tinkered in years. Not with cars, at least. I’m afraid it has to be you."

Aaron felt flush, a brief pang of guilt over using Chrissie for his games, knowing she’d never asked for her fingers to be burnt on the stove.

"Sure," he finished, forcing himself to look at her, not her husband. "On the house for the birthday boy."

Robert still hadn’t stopped fuming. Aaron shifted his feet, trying his best not to let that scowl go straight to his dick.

"Why, thank you! Robert can go check it out with you while Dad and I pick up Lachlan for his ice cream day. He didn’t say, but I think he’s a little upset at the new man in my life getting special attention."

Aaron watched Robert then, knowing, even as Robert said his most practiced goodbyes, that he was humiliated by the way she spoke about him. As if he was a waif she let into the family. As if he was the outsider Andy had never been to the Sugdens.

Robert got in the driver’s seat as the crowd dispersed, not-so-patiently waiting for Aaron to sit in the passenger’s side.

"Don’t wanna dirty up your fancy car, mate," Aaron spat, standing back as his annoyed ex-for-the-next-two-minutes-lover made his way to the garage.

As soon as he made his way in, lowering the garage door with a forced casual air, Robert was on him, all hands and teeth and cold rage. 

"I  _hate_  you,” he seethed as he broke the zip on Aaron’s hoodie, tossing it in the corner as he shoved his long fingers inside Aaron’s grey tee, tracing every inch of his toned, smooth chest.

He peppered Aaron’s neck with sharp, angry bites that made the shorter man groan in shock and submission.

"Y-You knew what you were getting when you talked to me that way…" Aaron managed to force out.

"Hypocrite," Robert seethed, letting his nails run over Aaron’s scars in a way that made Aaron’s knees buckle. "You dumped me. You…you…"

"Abandoned you?" 

Robert couldn’t respond, head resting against Aaron’s stomach, slight tears from his eyes staining the stretched fabric.

Finally, he did, his walls safely back in place.

"And today you’re so  _smug,_ just like at the start. Like nothing else happened…”

Aaron carded a hand into Robert’s shaggy hair, gripping the golden blonde locks tight as he lifted Robert’s head up to meet his eyes.

"We both know what happened," he said, words more broken than he’d intended, distracted by the wedding band gleaming in the dim overhead light.

” _We_  knew all along,” Robert jabbed, clearly scrambling to make his way back to safe ground. “Admit it, Aaron…it turned you on. I bet even now, seeing this ring on my finger gets you off. Knowing I could lose everything if someone opens that door, and I’m still on my knees. Power. Fear. Best ways to blow your biggest loads, right?”

"Just shut up," Aaron pushed through his teeth. "Stop makin’ it into that. Stop makin’ it…"

It was his turn to shudder as Robert stood up, sliding the band off his finger as he gripped Aaron’s wrist.

"What should it be, Aaron?" he whispered as, ignoring Aaron’s half-protest, half-squawk, he slipped the ring onto one of Aaron’s fingers, thicker than his, but still close enough to fit. 

"Is this the way you want it?" he breathed in Aaron’s ear. "Does this make it proper and good?"

Aaron wanted to respond, really he wanted to smash Robert’s face in, Robert always knowing how to disable him and keep him in his place, but Robert pulled him into a kiss. Gentle dominance, forceful tenderness, precise design to take anything Aaron was and make him into what Robert needed him to be. 

Aaron pushed Robert against the car, grinding his hips against Robert’s, Robert’s puffy breaths and soft whimpers hot on his cheek as their mouths had the happy reunion they couldn’t face up to themselves.

As Aaron traced a jagged thumbnail against the outline of Robert’s right nipple, reveling in the moan echoed into his neck and collarbone, he thought of their first time in this same garage. Furious and fast. And now…this was so much the same, but one look at the ring and he knew he wanted more. Deserved more.

"No, Robert," he said, regretting the words as he pulled away, most of all regretting the crushed look on Robert’s face, but knowing he needed to let them out. 

He slid his thumb against Robert’s plush lower lip, not wanting to lose the softness staring back at him.

"I want you…fuck,  _I need you_ , but not like this. Not in Debbie’s garage, tryin’ to come on the clock.”

 _Not wearing your wedding ring to a woman I hate way more than she ever deserved,_ he wanted to add.

Robert still seemed hurt, but not as shattered.

"I want you to come on me, not the clock," he joked, badly, kissing Aaron’s forehead. "How about we take the car out on Saturday…I can tell Chrissie it’s a way of saying thank you. We can go for a drive in the country. You bring a picnic basket. We can test out the backseat."

It still upset him, hearing Chrissie’s name, knowing it was a lie on top of a lie, but he knew it upset him even more when he didn’t have Robert at all.

"Fine," he grunted, knowing that was all Robert needed to hear, not wanting to give away even more of himself and the last shreds of his dignity.

 _Who needs dignity when a fella has a smile like that…and an arse like that,_ he thought ashe watched Robert shrug off his jacket and take a look under the bonnet, then underneath the car.

"I knew you wanted a look at my bum," Robert teased from beneath his beloved Audi.

"On Saturday I’m gonna do a lot more than look," Aaron responded, grinning in spite of himself.

Robert emerged, wiping his hands on Aaron’s already stretched out shirt, kissing him a final goodbye, one passionate enough to ensure he’d float, not walk, back to the pub.

"Oy, Robert," Aaron said before he opened the garage door. "You forgot something."

He stared at the ring one last time, imagining Robert putting another band on his ring finger, a cheaper one, rough and soft and right for him, just like him. He imagined being able to wear it proudly, to show it, and Robert, off to the world.

He slipped the wedding band off his finger, sliding it onto Robert’s with one last, lingering kiss. 

"Happy birthday."


End file.
